Verona is the home of Romeo & Juliet, and they don't let you forget it :) All around you are constant reminders that the lovebirds, if they ever truly existed, lived here in Verona.
We got into town very late in the evening, and for the first time were failed by our trusty Rick Steves' guidebook. Lost, we enlisted the help of a very friendly local couple to find our hostel a few blocks outside the city center.
The next day we walked along the ancient walls that used to belong to a castle that protected the city in times past. Away from the hustle of the city, most of the time we were alone to ponder the mysteries of these enormous structures; interrupted infrequently by a passing dog-walker or jogger. We also took in the old Roman ruins, which were mildly interesting, but a great precursor to the magnificent ruins we'd find in Rome. When we made our way into town, we saw the Colosseum (nearly intact, I found it more impressive than the big one in Rome), and we made the requisite trip to Juliet's House.
Of course, this never was really her house - Verona basically created it to cash in on the tourist appeal. Regardless, it was fun to see the balcony, and even more fun to rub the bronze breast of Juliet's statue downstairs, hoping for good luck in love. Despite the cornyness of the place, thousands of lovers and seekers of love left their mark in the way of multi-colored graffeti that covered nearly all the walls. You couldn't help but read some of it and smile. The power of true love prevailed, and in spite of its touristy nature, "Juliet's House" has become a heart-warming testament to love and passion.
Verona is known for its passeggiata, or evening stroll, where all the young italians get dressed up in their best shoes and shiny clothes. They congregate in the city proper, and stroll along the streets and walkways, checking each other out, looking for their next Romeo or Juliet. Men greet each other with kisses on the cheek, and handclasps that endure longer than most American males would be comfortable with; sometimes for a significant portion of a conversation. Of course, if a woman passes near, she's given the appropriate, hungry look-over, and if she's lucky, a heartfelt Ciao bella!
We sat and drank Spritz Aperol, the pleasant and smooth unofficial drink of Verona, watching the passeggiata unfold. No dinner tonight, the drinks came with a snack tray of olives, peanuts, and potato chips. Small finger pizzas were served, eaten and replaced several times. We weren't sure if they were free or not.
Back to the hostel. We had to get up early to check out and catch the train to one of the places we were really looking forward to - Venice!
No comments:
Post a Comment